The foundation stone was laid in November 1834 and the theatre was officially opened in March 1837. The theatre was designed and built by its owner Peter Degraves. On his death in 1853 it was put up for auction and purchased by Richard Lewis. Lewis subsequently leased it to John Davies the founder of the Mercury but the building remained in the hands of the Lewis family until the death of Mr Lewis's grandsons. &#10;In 1949 an act to provide for the encouragement of fine arts and the preservation of the Theatre was passed.&#10;The Theatre Royal was originally known as the Victoria Theatre and the Royal Victorian Theatre the name being changed to Theatre Royal in about 1857